I've been finishing my paddles with boiled linseed oil and a little varnish, thinned with paint thinner. The last one, I used Watco Natural, thinned with paint thinner, which is about the same thing.

I recall Mike Hanks using an awful mixture of turpentine, kerosene, and linseed oil. Mike said it penetrates better, and I'm beginning to belive it. My coating wears off of a new paddle with one use. My older paddles have several coats on them, and they dont wear off like that. It takes several uses / recoats.

What finishes are common, among the oil-based advocates? Is it better to thin with turpentine / kerosene even though it smells so bad? What about heating the linseed / thinner combo, will that help it penetrate?

And also, I thought about glassing the blades on a paddle (before oiling the shaft). Has anybody tried a combination of glassed blades and oiled grip? Concerns about water seeping up under the glass?